Downtown Gyms

[moderne]

    I am getting bored with my in-bldg gym.  I think maybe I need the stimulation of other people seriously into fitness.  Any recomendations?  Looking for good equipment, maintenance and cleanliness are important.  Also like places that have windows, as sunshine helps to energize.  Also want to avoid places where guys walk around locker room with erections(like Golds Westport.)

[KCLofts]

I used to belong to River Market Fitness (3rd & Wyandotte).  I've recently been going to Scott Fitness (2nd & Wyandotte), which I like much better.  It has way more space, nicer atmosphere, much better treadmills, private bathrooms/showers, 24/7 access, free classes and no contracts.

If you're closer to westport than downtown, they also have a location at Westport Rd & State Line.

The new gym in the parking garage next to city hall looks nice, but the hours are terrible.

[KCLofts]

i've been thinking about switching to scott fitness (2nd & wyandotte) since it's next door to my work...is it as nice as everyone says?

It's a pretty nice place.  Might not be ideal if you're primarily a select-a-plate weight machine user.  They have weight machines, but require that you add your own weight plates, rather than selecting the weight by moving the pin.  They have a variety of equipment, but not a whole lot of duplicates.  But the crowd has never been big enough for this to be a problem.  Go down and talk to John Scott, he'll probably give you a trial membership.

[artistboy]

The facilities at UMKC are great... 1/8 mile indoor track, incredible indoor/outdoor pool (retractable glass roof), half dozen b-ball courts, clean locker rooms, weights, etc. All around great place.
If you're part of the University system (Missouri) then you get a better rates... not always competitive with other gyms but has LOTS more to offer. A bit heaper the longer you sign up for... one month to twelve so no stupid long term pressure contracts like some gyms... no hassle!
I went to Gold's in Westport for a short time but wasn't too keen on being one of the very few strait guys there... seemed more like a meat market and I wasn't wanting to be on their menu despite stating my status. Some people still like Gold's though. I like what UMKC has to offer.

[dangerboy]

The facilities at UMKC are great... 1/8 mile indoor track, incredible indoor/outdoor pool (retractable glass roof), half dozen b-ball courts, clean locker rooms, weights, etc. All around great place.
If you're part of the University system (Missouri) then you get a better rates...

You can also get a discount if you are a KCUR member.

[dangerboy]

the PVCC gym is OK, but I don't think it's nice enough for the price.

[Highlander]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I will be in KC in about a month for 3 weeks.  Would love to work out while there; especially run on a treadmill and do some light lifting.  Is there anybody in DT that accepts people on a visit-by-visit basis? 

Actually, I'm staying out south (103rd State line).  Anybody know any such places out there?  Feel free to PM as to not disrupt the nature of the thread.  Thanks. 

[Pastense]

I've been a member at "The Club at the Marriott" and it's predecessor, St. Luke's Lifewise, for almost 20 years. A great place to follow downtown development as you run on the treadmills, the views are unmatched. For a small price, they'll do your workout laundry too!

[Boognish]

Since UMKC got mentioned and we've expanded outside the loop ...  the NKC Community Center is a pretty cool place. 8 basketball courts, a nice indoor pool (even if they have screwy hours) with several levels of water aerobics, spinning classes, free weights, weight machines ... even a rock-climbing wall, and not a bad price. Of course, it's also very close to downtown.

[myxomatosis]

I've been a member of the YMCA in Quality Hill (Washington st. between 10th & 11th) for about a year now.  45 bucks a month.  It's a decent gym, but the after work crowd can cause you to wait to use equipment.  They aren't very busy on the weekend.  Based on other posts, I'm going to check out the Marriott's gym.  Scott Fitness sounds interesting, but I'm friends with the folks that own River Market Fitness, so they have to get my recommendation.

[scooterj]

I have to agree with the sentiments about UMKC's fitness center above.    It's an outstanding facility, literally has everything.  I miss the old days where as a student and then as an employee it was a free ammenity.

I live right next door to River Market Fitness but their prices are too high for my budget.

Until recently I had been going to NKCCC, which is almost as good as UMKC, and is cheap.      However they did recently raise their rates to $39 a month, which is only $1 less than the fitness center attached to the building I work in now, so I decided that extra dollar was worth the convenience and switched.

I'm now going to Tower Fitness, which is one of the St. Luke's managed facilities.  It's on the 4th floor of the Commerce Trust building -- basically on the roof of the downtown Osco.    It's small but it does have everything I need, and while it can get busy during the peak times, I haven't yet been unable to use something I wanted to use.  The locker rooms are nice - carpeted changing areas and individual enclosed shower stalls.  Towels and a few misc toiletries (toothpaste, mouthwash, lotion) are provided.  The two women that work there are professional trainers and their services are part of the membership.  It's nice because if I oversleep and don't make it in the morning, I can walk over and get a good workout during my lunch hour.  The only drawback is that the track, basketball court, and tennis courts are outside so weather affects their usability. 

[beautyfromashes]

Any places besides UMKC that have racquetball?

[myxomatosis]

not ventilated well so the odors are unbearable at times.

Yikes...I wasn't aware of their odor problem.  The Y gets that musty smell sometimes.  I do like the mini basketball court they have.  I wish we had access to the Quality Hill outdoor pool.

Any places besides UMKC that have racquetball?

Golds gym in Merriam off of I35 on the Frontage rd. and 65th st. has 2 racquetball courts.  I was a member for several years.  While it isn't the newest facility, they have tons of equipment and free weights.  I paid 2 years up front, which translated into 33 bucks a month.  I really liked it, but I finally broke down and joined the Y because it is right downtown and closer to work/home. 

[schugg]

scott fitness is at the top of my list.

[Thrillcekr]

I used to belong to River Market Fitness (3rd & Wyandotte).  I've recently been going to Scott Fitness (2nd & Wyandotte), which I like much better.  It has way more space, nicer atmosphere, much better treadmills, private bathrooms/showers, 24/7 access, free classes and no contracts.

If you're closer to westport than downtown, they also have a location at Westport Rd & State Line.

The new gym in the parking garage next to city hall looks nice, but the hours are terrible.

Saw something somewhat amusing outside that place a few weeks ago.  I took my nephew down to Rivermarket and, as we were walking past RMF, I saw this lady standing out in front in her workout clothes just smoking the hell out of a cigarette like it was the last one they were ever gonna make.

[scooterj]

Saw something somewhat amusing outside that place a few weeks ago.  I took my nephew down to Rivermarket and, as we were walking past RMF, I saw this lady standing out in front in her workout clothes just smoking the hell out of a cigarette like it was the last one they were ever gonna make.

There was a woman at my fitness center this morning who came in and got on an exerise bike with a magazine.  She was on the bike for half an hour with her magazine.  When she was done, she left.    What's so odd about that?  She never moved her legs while on the bike.  She just sat there, reading.    What a waste of membership fees.

[moderne]

  Hope she did not manage to leave perspiration and other fluids on the bike by just making the effort to perch on it.

[sethyg]

Can someone list all the gyms/fitness clubs downtown? Any recommendations?

[Downtowner]

The original talk on the P&L district included talk of a gym. Haven't heard anything lately. Also, a Union Hill gym is in the works for the large corner space on the Cadillac bldg. And yet another rumor of a gym going in by martini corner.

[scooterj]

Anyone know what the fitness center is that's on the 2nd or 3rd floor of the Town Pavilion, on the north side?  It looks like it has lots of equipment but I never see anyone using it.  (Not Curves, that's on the ground floor.)

Rumor has it that the one I go to, Downtown Fitness Works (formerly Tower Fitness) on the 4th floor of the Commerce Trust Building may soon be expanding to double in size.  (They're the one who have the tennis courts.basketball hoops/track on the CVS roof.)  Now if they just had longer hours and a Saturday schedule too.    (Currenly it's just 6am-7pm M-F.)